Poetry Unit Vocabulary

poetry: a type of literature that uses figurative language in a specific form to express meaning, emotion, or tell a story.

lines: a single set or words in a poem

stanza: a grouping of lines

tone: the way the author feels about his/her subject, shown in diction and syntax

mood: the general atmosphere of a piece of writing; how the writing makes the reader feel

rhythm: the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in each line of poetry

repetition: the use of sounds, words, or phrases over and over to emphasize an idea or create a certain feeling

alliteration: the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words

assonance: the repetition of vowel sounds in the middle of words

consonance: the repetition of consonant sound in the middle of words

rhyme: the repetition of similar sounds at the end of words

internal rhyme: words within one line that rhyme with each other

end rhyme: rhyming words that are found at the end of different lines

rhyme scheme: the pattern of end rhymes in a stanza or poem

onomatopoeia: word that imitates the sound it represents

figurative language: writing that makes unique, nonliteral comparisons in order to create unique images in the reader's mind

personification: gives nonhuman beings or objects human qualities

simile: comparison which uses the words like or as

metaphor: comparison which does NOT use like or as; usually states that one thing IS another

hyperbole: a figurative exaggeration or overstatement

idiom: a saying with an understood meaning different from the exact meaning of the words

analogy: a detailed comparison between two things or situations